Ichigo, Ichie One time, One meeting
by mialuv998
Summary: Big white eyes where the first thing he noticed. Then it was the slight, upturned smile and the bob of her head and the sway of dark violet hair as she considered him for the short moment.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto._

_**A/N:** This is a series of SasuHina drabbles. There is no set story for any of these as of yet. But should one develop you will be notified. ^_^_

**Ichi-go, Ichi-e**

_(One Time, One Meeting)_

_Hand_

A hand. His hand. Outstretched in offering. It was…hard to focus on anything outside of the absurd notion that _he_ would offer such a simple thing to someone like _her_. It was so out of the ordinary and uncharacteristic of someone like him. Still it stayed there in her field of vision like a viper ready to strike her just because it could.

"It's not going to bite you!" He snapped at her, drawing her attention up to his face. Dark eyes with just as dark brows drew together in annoyance. A hint of anger sparked in their depths as she continued to study him, not bothering to acknowledge the hand still held out to her.

His dark hair bristled in the breeze. A growl, soft but growing in volume, rumbled from his throat. The stupid girl just kept looking at him. Not in an adoring way, as the others did, but like he was an oddity that she couldn't understand. Her white eyes stared at him, glazed over in confusion and fear. However, he really couldn't blame her. Considering how they'd found her, it was little wonder that she hadn't succumbed to hysterics by now.

"Sasu…ke…kun?" She whispered. Her voice was soft and mystified, barely carrying in the breeze to his ears. At least she knew who he was. Shame he couldn't say the same. However, it wasn't surprising. When someone saw an Uchiha there was little doubt now on who it was. Being the only one left, it was hard to get confused on the matter. However, as far as Hyuuga went, it was hard to distinguished one from another. They all had long hair, pale skin, and white eyes. They were serious and stern and grim. He flinched inwardly just thinking about all the Hyuuga he'd met in his life.

Except, maybe this one. She seemed…odd. Her eyes were too soft. Her face too round. Her voice too quiet and uncommanding. He felt his face contort in his exasperation. She had to be some kind of castoff or something. Because Hyuuga weren't supposed to be soft and meek. Or scared.

He pulled his hand back since it looked like she wasn't going to accept it. "Well since you know who I am, why don't you do us all a service and tell us who you are?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion. 'Us' he said. What 'Us'? All she saw was him. Then she heard a snickering behind her. Turning her head slowly, she saw what he was talking about. Two men, one so much taller than the rest of them. The other shorter, but with pale hair and sharp teeth gleaming at her in light filtering from the thick canopy of trees overhead. He was the one snickering at her. And a girl, with red hair and glasses. Her eyes studied Hinata with a hint of malice and ill intent.

Hinata shivered as she turned her attention back to the one before her. He looked even more annoyed than before.

"Your name," he commanded. "Now!"

"H-Hyuuga…" She stammered, shifting uneasily under his direct gaze. "…Hinata…" His eyes sparked in recognition.

"Hinata…" He whispered, his voice almost breathless as he drew upon the memories he'd locked away so long ago.

Hyuuga Hinata. A shy girl. Introverted and weak. Also prone to fainting. Especially when the Dobe was around. Unlike most of the other girls he remembered, she wasn't trouble. Quiet and eager to help when given the chance. He smirked, deciding how best to use this to his advantage.

"Hinata." Her body jerk as his voice rang sharp in the space between them. His annoyance with her did not go unnoticed, nor did the hint of a smirk tilting the edges of his mouth. "We are in need of your help. If you do what I ask of you, I can promise no harm will come to you." He paused, his dark eyes considering her before continuing. "Will you help us?"

A moment passed as she weighed his offer carefully. What sort of help could she provide him? Very little from her own experience. But how could she refuse? Such a genuine request wasn't one she could rightly ignore. Especially from him. Naruto would never forgive her for denying him.

Narrowing her eyes, her gaze dropping to the ground, she nodded. "Hai!" She declared softly. "I will help you."

His lips curled in satisfaction. "Good."

He held his hand out to her once again and felt her own soft hand taking it in acceptance. Something passed from her to him in that brief moment. A burning. A spark. It traveled up his arm, radiating up his arm and out through his body. It was…odd. Like a moment he could never take back. A sealing, maybe, just by them joining hands.

Then the moment, however brief, passed and all he could identify was the unsettled feeling unfurling in his chest. He glanced at her hand and frowned. What sort of fate awaited him just from that touch of a hand?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto._

_**A/N: **__I originally wrote this to go with __**Heritage of Sight**__, but it didn't fit with what I was going for. So, instead, I kept it as a stand alone drabble to post here.  
_

**Ichi-go Ichi-e**

_(One time, One meeting)_

_Twice_

_Twice_.

_Twice_ he's crossed paths with the Hyuuga Heiress. _Twice _he's woken up with her breath fanning across his chest, her legs tangled with his and equally entangled within the sheets barely covering their nude bodies. He shook his head recalling the details from earlier that morning.

Her soft, pliant body had molded with his sometime during the night. Her hand rested on the concave of his stomach, her fingers brushed against his skin as they twitched in her sleep. She wasn't the first of his companions to do this. Many times he'd woken and found himself in another's restrictive embrace. Their arms wrapped tightly around his waist, their fingers digging into his skin as if to prevent his escape. Usually he couldn't get himself out of there fast enough.

She was different. She hadn't wrapped herself around him, clinging to his body in her sleep. Instead, it was almost as if she'd mistaken him for a very warm pillow. The way she snuggled into him, sighing in a whispered release of self satisfaction. Contentment had settled in his chest in that one moment. He wondered how amusing it would be when she woke up to find him still in her bed. Last time, she'd fled the scene, leaving him to wonder if he'd actually managed to bed the Hyuuga Heiress.

He smirked, watching her from across the room. Through the crowd of Shinobi in the Hokage's office he caught her sneaking glances at him. Her face reddening when she caught his gaze. Memories of her moaning beneath him, assaulted him, peaking his awareness of her person. Her scent, though subtle, clung to his skin. The taste of her lingered on his tongue. To be so aware of one person disturbed him greatly, but he couldn't stop himself from thinking of her.

Now, she had no where to run and he had no reason to want to.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Naruto._

**Ichi-go, Ichi-e**

_(One time, One meeting)_

_Resolve_

_I never knew my heart could break like this. The pain is almost unbearable. When I look into his eyes, I see it there bubbling just below the surface, mixing with hatred and loathing. I wonder…is the boy I knew drowning in that?_

_

* * *

  
_

Wide eyed, Hinata watched as Sasuke's hand clenched tightly around Sakura's throat, slowly squeezing the life out of his former teammate. Sakura's greens eyes bulged in fear, her breath strangling in her throat. The force of which escaped her throat in pants and gasps as her airway began to close off.

His obsidian eyes never wavered from Sakura's, a malicious smile twisting his once beautiful features. "What's the matter Sakura? I thought you'd be stronger by now?" His grip tightened. "Where's your resolve? I thought you and that _Dobe_ were going to save me?"

Hinata's breath caught in her throat as Sakura's hands grabbed at his, trying in vain to break his grip. Her feet kicked at the air, her body twisting and fighting in a frantic bid for escape, only to halt when he slammed her form into a broken wall.

Inside, Hinata was screaming. _Stop it! You're hurting her!_ However, on the outside, all she could do was watch as he continued his assault. Fear, horror, anger, sorrow--these were the emotions coursing through her trembling form with tears prickling the back of her eyes.

Then there was the wash of guilt. Where was the courage she'd found days before? Was Sasuke really so different from the monster known as Pein? Or was it simply that Sakura wasn't Naruto and, therefore less important as a result?

Questions and fear over rode her senses, but deep down she knew it wasn't any of those things. In her heart of hearts, she knew what was holding her back. It was the fear of what once was being ripped to shreds in face of what is. Her memories flooded her mind, making her remember a boy she once knew.

* * *

"_Hurry up, Hina-chan, or he'll catch us!" Spiky black hair bounced with each leap forward he took, his face glowing with excitement, a stretched out grin reaching from ear to ear as he looked back at her. His chubby hand clutched hers tight, and she stumbled along behind him as his little legs accelerated beyond her owns capabilities._

_

* * *

_The boy and that smile. His light laughter echoed in her ears. The way he brooded even then, his face puckering into a pout when his Aniki caught up with them.

"Stop it," she whispered. Her heart accelerated with pain and clenched in sorrow. Her voice cracked with tears. "St-stop it!"

It wasn't enough. She barely heard her own voice above the howl of the wind blustering over the barren landscape. She even doubted he knew she was there.

"B-bastard!" Sakura managed to spit at him defiantly. Her green eyes burned with anger and resentment, and then flinched as his grip tightened once again.

"Tut-tut," he said, his smile widening to an unbelievable degree. "And here I thought you'd be the same girl chasing after my affections, futile as it was. Did you still pine after me Sakura? Even after I turned my back on you?" Sakura's form stilled at the taunting. Her eyes closed against his assault of words. He humphed, his eyes narrowed in disgust. "How pathetic."

Then he tossed her to the side like a rag doll. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword when he turned to face her broken body. "How could someone like me ever fall in love with someone as pathetic as you?"

He gripped the hilt of his sword, slowly drawing it out of its sheath as he approached her. Hinata heard Sakura's whimper and saw the defeat reflected in her eyes. All it took was that moment, that one split second, for her body to react.

She felt the rush of wind envelope her body, her muscles protested, yet worked hard to reach them just in time. Her fingers wrapped around the tightened tendons of his wrist, digging into his flesh and halting the arc of movement as he began to strike his former teammates fallen form. Her other hand swung around, the open palm glowing a fierce blue and striking the tempered and sharpened blade, shattering its hard metal where she struck, breaking it in two.

Her hand continued to swing around, her body moving with the momentum. Her other hand, still wrapped around his wrist, pulled his body into her own, her opened fist aimed right at his chest. The target, his heart. His eyes fastened on hers, surprise dancing just below the surface of their dark fathomless depths.

* * *

"_Stop following me!" He growled, snapping his head in her direction. "I don't want your company. I don't need it."_

_She stumbled back, taken off guard by the force of his angry aura. "I-I'm sorry." She squeaked. Instinct told her to flee before he lashed out at her, but her feet would not move. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes, frustrated by her own weak will and inability to take action when she knew she should._

_He turned his back on her and began to walk away. She reacted then, without thinking or considering the words spilling out her mouth. Her chest burned with the emotions flowing in her words._

"_I know it hurts." She said. "But you don't have to do it on your own. They're there to help you. If you let them."_

_He glanced back at her, his gaze pinning her in place. "And what about you Hinata? Where is the help you would offer me?"_

_Her gaze faltered, aiming at the ground in her shame. She frowned. "I-I can't help you."_

"_And that's the problem isn't it?"_

_

* * *

  
_

At the last possible second, Hinata reined in her attack. The gathered chakra dissipated from her open hand as it glanced off his shoulder. Sasuke twisted away from her, wrenching himself out of her grasp. He slide back, out of her reach, and crouched low.

"Hyuuga," He spit out, venom coating his voice as he scowled at her. "Are you finally willing to take me on? "

She narrowed her eyes, resolve reflecting in their white irises. She didn't answer. She didn't need to. Instead, she fell back into the Jyuuken stance, activating her Byakugan.

He smirked, tossing aside his broken sword. "Lets get this over with."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto_

_**A/N: **I came about this in a weird sort of way. Spammishrice was putting ideas in my head… Ah, who am I kidding? They were there already!_

**Ichi-go, Ichi-e**

_(One Time, One Meeting)_

_A Question For You_

Uchiha Sasuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion when two sets of eyes--one a bright green, the other a burning red--trained on him as he sat in the uncomfortably hard bench they'd pushed him into when he'd had the misfortune of coming upon, not one, but _both_ of them. _Together_.

The two people he was referring too. Well, that would Haruno Sakura and Karin of course.

How he ended up in this particular predicament, he couldn't possibly say. He though he'd shaken them both off his tail a couple of miles ago. He had even gone so far as to suppress his chakra since Karin was of the chakra sensing type. Apparently, it hadn't worked.

Now, the two of them had him cornered here at the park. Both of them. Moreover, he had to wonder if they were working together now, instead of against. He almost groaned at the thought. There would be no peace for him now.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura said, a smirk beginning to twitch at the edges of her mouth. "We have a question for you."

This time he did groan. He closed his eyes, doing his best to ignore the two of them, and folded his arms over his chest. This wasn't going to be like those games Sakura and Ino did when they were younger, was it? _'Who do you like better, Sasuke-kun? Whose prettier, Sasuke-kun? Who would you rather kiss, Sasuke-kun?'_

He could damn well guarantee his answer wasn't going to be any different than it was then. He didn't have time to waste with such pointless things. He had to train and get stronger, otherwise the freaking Dobe was going to upstage him again, and there was no way he was going to let that happen! Besides, neither of them was to his taste. They were too loud, too boastful, and too fan-girly.

"…it's just a simple question," Sakura continued, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We were just wondering, if you were given the choice who would you choose?"

Huh? Had he missed something?

"Come again?" One of his eyes popped open and regards the two of them with confusion.

Karin sighed, pushing the pink haired Kunoichi out of her way. Hands planted on her hips, she started down at Sasuke with impatient eyes. "What pinky here is trying to say--"

"Hey!"

"Is if given the choice of ravaging her skinny body--which is almost completely devoid of anything resembling breast, might I add--or someone of my choosing, who would you pick?"

Taken a bit aback by the blatant question, Sasuke narrowed his eyes and frowned. He glanced over at Sakura, whose face had taken on the same hue as her hair, but still managed to look directly at him. Then he glanced at Karin, who stood as she had been, except now she had her arms folded together before her.

He really didn't want to answer this, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. He'd heard Konohamaru's Oiroke: Otoko no Ko Doshi no Jutsu and the perverted reaction Sakura had to it. He shuddered to think of what she would do if she actually did get her claws into him. On the other hand, Karin really surprised him.

He regarded her with suspicion. "Who exactly would I have to ravage?" He asked.

Then, just at that moment, he heard the soft padding of feet as they drew closer to the group. He leaned back, taking a gander behind the two girls. It was Hyuuga Hinata. Quickly, he glanced around to make sure no one else was around. The last thing he needed was a certain _someone_ spying him within the same premise as the Hyuuga Heiress. Lucky for him, there was no one else in sight. Which was just fine with him, especially when she stopped just short of their congregation.

"Karin-chan, there you are." Her voice came out breathless and soft. One of his eyebrows shot up and he wondered, could he _really_ be that lucky? No, no, she had to be here for some other reason. "I'm here just like you asked me to be."

Both eyebrows shot up this time as a ball of excitement began to tighten in his stomach.

"Hai hai, Hinata-chan, so you are!" Karin's face took to beaming with excitement and pleasure. "And right on time too!" Karin grabbed Hinata by the hand pulled her to stand between the two girls. At this point, Sakura's pink hued face had calmed down dramatically and taken on an almost white pallor.

Karin looked down at him with a cheeky grin. "This is the one, Sasuke."

He narrowed his eyes and frowned a bit. Then he stood up abruptly, coming to within an inch of the Hyuuga Heiress and watched as she stumbled back a step or two. Her face took on the hue of a tomato.

"Ano…good day to you Sasuke-kun…" Hinata said softly. Unbeknownst to Sasuke, a faint blush had spread over his cheeks and decorated the bridge of his nose. Karin glanced over at her rival, whose mouth now parted in astonishment as she studied the two others.

Sasuke's dark eyes glanced over at Karin briefly. "Okay, you win." He said. Then he quickly grabbed Hinata's hand and started to beat a hasty retreat.

Sakura sputtered in indignation and whimpered. "That's so unfair!" She stated, stomping her foot in frustration.

"_Ano…Sasuke-kun…where are we going?"_ Karin heard Hinata utter as she stumbled along behind the Uchiha.

"Ku ku ku." She chuckled before regarding Sakura. "It might be unfair, but can you really say that the cuteness of it all isn't the slightest bit appealing?"

Sakura sighed, her face turning to one of defeat, then lifting in a smile as she looked at their retreating backs. "It is _really_ cute, is it?"

Karin chuckled. "What do you think Hinata-chan will do when she realizes what he means to do to her?"

"Hard to say." Sakura said. "She might like it."

_**A/N:** It should be noted that the someone Sasuke was looking for was Shikamaru. Why? Because I am at heart a ShikaHinaSasu Shipper and if I can write a story involving all three, then I will. Why was he looking for Shikamaru? Well, because Sasuke and him have an agreement. Neither one of them are allowed to be with in ten feet of Hinata while in the other's presence. It saves them both some trouble. Like it keeps Sasuke from looking like a love sick fool and means Shikamaru doesn't have to exert himself too hard to make an impression on her._

_The ending was going to Ino fainting from cuteness overload and Shikamaru chasing after the retreating couple. But I liked ending it this way instead. It seemed so much better. ^_^_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer:**__I do not own Naruto._

_**A/N:** This is an AU, and will have other associated drabbles coming sometime in the future._

**Ichi-go Ichi-e**

_(One Time, One Moment)_

_Everything comes gradually and at its appointed hour. ~ Publius Ovidius Naso_

Hyuuga Hinata grew up with one certainty in life. Uchiha were not to be trusted. Uchiha were backstabbing and greedy, and-with the way her father, Hyuuga Hiashi, usually talked about them-you'd think that they were the equivalent of earthbound demons.

Instead of most little kids, Hinata used to have nightmares of the big bad Uchiha chasing her through some dark creepy forest. Fire blazed from their mouth as their red eyes glowed unnaturally in the dark, and on their head protruded a pair of black horns. Lucky for her these dreams didn't often occur except on the odd night when her father actually came home early from the office, usually mumbling something about _'those damned Uchiha'_.

It really wasn't until she was around ten years old when she happened upon one her father's financial magazines crumpled and laying on the floor next to the wastebasket in his home office. On the cover of the magazine were some of the most beautiful people she'd ever seen. A dignified and handsome man stood proudly behind the others, his chin tilted high in challenge to the world. Something about him, his stature, reminded her greatly of her father.

The woman, whom she assumed was the Matriarch, sat poised and centered among the others. Her hands rested easily in her lap, her head tilted to the side with a gentle smile touching her lips. At the time, Hinata found herself smiling, as if returning her smile, even though it was just a picture. Vaguely, she'd wondered if her mother had carried the expression when she was alive, but the thought was fleeting as she continued to look upon the magazine cover.

The last two in the picture appeared to be brothers. There was the oldest, she assumed, as his face seemed almost as aged as his father's did. Deep creases marred the underside of his eyes with tired lines. His lips seemed perpetually turned down with a frown of worry. The other, not so much. This one looked to be about her age. His dark eyes danced with life and spoke of an inclination to mischievousness. A smirk, smug as it was, touched the corner of his lips and his hands folded neatly together beneath his chin.

It occurred to her that she might like this boy should she ever cross paths with him, but the thought was quickly squashed out of existence when she noticed the header emblazoned above the picture on the magazine cover--'_Uchiha Legacy_'. Apparently, her father's claim they were something akin to 'earthbound demons' wasn't entirely true. However, the picture faded from her memory over the years, one thing planted firmly in her mind from that day forward. Though her father preferred to claim them as something less than human, the Uchiha were certainly nothing more than mere humans.

Though it seemed her father had a great dislike for the Uchiha, it never really occurred to her that there was an on going feud between the two families. This was understandable since any fighting done was never in her presence or in any form that would come to her attention. Then there was also the fact the Uchiha's eldest was four years older than her cousin, Hyuuga Neji, meaning of course, that the two hadn't yet met. Obviously, it didn't occur to anyone the youngest Uchiha and herself were the same age, and the possibility of them crossing paths was bound to happen eventually. Then again, out of all the prestigious high schools in Konoha, no one could have ever predicted they would both end up attending the same one, or in the same class for that matter.

One could imagine such an occurrence would be full of tension and awkwardness. Maybe heated glares coming from both sides as they passed each other in the halls between classes. Because, surely two people such as themselves would be highly attuned to the other. After all, to feud was in their blood. It was instinct!

On that fateful day, however, not a single part of her tremored with recognition or anything remotely similar. However, to say she wasn't moved by her encounter with said Uchiha would be like denying the sun existence. In fact, one could say she fell head over heels for the boy. Quite literally in fact.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

Hinata had barely enough time to acknowledge the barked order before someone's shoulder plowed into her. Pushed off balance, she stumbled backwards, her arms flapping madly as she tried, unsuccessfully, to center herself. Then, as if called upon by the God of mischief himself, she took a tumble backwards, having managed to stumble back into some unmovable force that was only half her size.

She pinched her eyes shut, bracing herself for the painful impact. She heard the expected crash, but felt only the soft cushion of a warm body beneath hers. Concerned, her eyes popped open, an apology quick on her lips as she scrambled to turn around.

"Ah! Gomen-nasai!"

She wasn't quite prepared for the cold dark glare leveled at her and the indignant sneer that followed. Her face flushed red as she looked away and jumped to her feet.

"I'm really very sorry," she squeaked before dashing off to some dark corner to nurse her heavily wounded pride. Which really didn't help any when she came into her classroom mere seconds before the tardy bell rang.

In the back next to the window was the same dark brooding boy. His eyes closed, arms crossed loosely over his chest, feet kicked up on the desk in front of him. Only then did she feel like she knew him from somewhere, but couldn't quite recall from where. She took a seat furthest from him--near the front, closest to the door.

A bright girl with pink hair and blazing green eyes came to the front of the room to attendance. One by one, she called everyone's name, marking the book in front of her. Then something…odd happened.

Her mouth pursed into a slight frown as she called the next name. "Hyuuga Hinata."

Hinata raised her hand. "Present," She called out softly. It seemed half the room had turned to look at her, their mouths opened slightly. She wilted in her seat, her head dipped low, letting the heavy curtain of dark hair shroud her face.

The moment was brief, but all too apparent. The attention lingered even when the girl continued. People shift in their seats, restless, if not a bit excited.

As she neared the bottom of her book, she paused again, her eyes darting to the back of the room. Somehow, Hinata knew she was looking at the boy with the brooding aura. "Uchiha Sasuke."

Then everything just clicked in her head. The boy and why he looked so familiar, the other students apparent 'interest' in her and the dark glare he'd sent her earlier. She knew then this was only a precursor of the next three years of her life.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto_

**Ichi-go Ichi-e**

_**One Time, One Meeting**_

_Memories and a Photograph_

Every dream Hinata ever had seemed like the echo of a memory she'd long since forgotten-save for one warped and discolored photo. It used to sit high on a shelf in her wardrobe, pushed to the back where she couldn't see it; a box collecting dust. In this box were memories she'd thought lost years ago.

----------

A week had passed since the attack on Konoha. Everyone, villagers and shinobi alike, worked diligently to restore the former glory of the Hidden Leaf. Hinata sighed. Only a week, yet it seemed like a lifetime. Had life really changed so dramatically in such a short time?

A week ago, she'd been in Hokage Tower with her comrades, Shino and Kiba, discussing their next mission. Now, seated on the ruins of what once was the Hyuuga Compound, she gazed upon the rubble and dust. What sort of memories was found here now?

She toed a small pile, hesitant to rummage through. So many things she'd kept dear to her in this place were lost. The garden she'd begun long ago with her now deceased mother, the private grounds where Neji and she had begun their relationship anew after the Chuunin Exam, and the secret places she used to play when she was younger.

She closed her eyes, trying to recall some small figment of those alien times. For the most part, it was fairly easy. The heady scent of flowers in full bloom, wafting in the thick humid summer evenings. She almost heard her mother's soft laughter as Hinata frolicked and hopped around in her attempt to get as many fireflies as plausible.

She remembered the exhaustive hours she'd spent with Neji. Her breath rasping in her dry throat, her chest heaving with the effort it took to just breathe. Not once had she ever succeeded in besting him, but even then, she knew it wasn't a goal she'd ever achieve.

Those sorts of memories were easy to recall, but other's evaded her. Dreams, like an echo of a memory, came in a flash of déjà vu, leaving her breathless and frustrated. What should have been fully formed memories, seemed to slip through her mind in figments, only a small trace of what they were resonated in her mind's eyes. Almost like snatches, clips, from a movie film fading with age.

----------

"_No! You can't get the pink one! Those are for _girls_!"_

"_But Ouji-chan, I _am_ a girl."_

"_But you're not a _girly_ girl. Girly girls are like the ones that follow Kaa-san and me around when we're at the market. They have long hair with ribbons in them and make kissy faces at me when Ha-Ha isn't looking. _You_ are not a girly girl."_

"_But if I'm not a girly girl, then what color should I get?"_

"_Get the purple one. It suits Hime-chan better and goes well with my blue one."_

"_Ouji-Chan…"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Your face is turning red…"_

_-----------_

Hinata shook off the half formed memories and started to get to work when a great gust of wind rolled across the landscape, dragging debris with it. One such piece of debris, a stiff, crumpled square paper, bounced along the ground, until it caught on the hem of her pant leg.

A picture it was.

Always the curious spirit, she plucked it free and smoothed it out as best as she could, to examine it. The photograph itself was yellowed with age and coated with a fine layer of dust and dirt. She wiped it free and squinted as she tried to make sense of it.

It was what looked to be a boy with dark hair, spiked and untamed, with equally dark eyes and a broad smile, foretelling of a hidden mischievousness. Palpitations jarred her heart with a sense of déjà vu. She squinted harder as she tried to make out the rest of the picture. Then she stopped, her world tilting and fading to black at a sudden realization.

In the picture was a girl, a bit shorter than the boy, a soft smile tilting her mouth as she gazed at the picture, her left hand gripping the blue fabric of the boy's kimono. This was funny, because the picture itself was so old and yellowed that it was hard to tell just what color everything was originally. Nevertheless, Hinata knew, oh yes, she knew…

----------

_11 years ago…_

"_Hinata-chan, Sasuke-chan and Itachi-kun are here to take you to the festival!"_

"_Okay, Kaa-san, I'll be right there!"_

_---------_

_(To Be Continued…)_


	7. Chapter 7

-1**Ichi-go, Ichi-e**

_(One time, One meeting)_

_Early Risers_

The sun was barely pressing on the horizon. The early morning light cast about, lit everything in its weak glow. The Uchiha included. Everything about Sasuke screamed on his intense nature. Eyes as dark as obsidian. The perpetual frown he exhibited on most occasions. When he spoke, it was usually short, blunt, and straight to the point.

Seeing him so early in the morning, ever facet of his being at peace in the early morning light startled Hinata on a very deep level. How long had it been since she'd seen him like this? Part of her wanted to poke him to see if he was real, or if it was just an illusion or a figment of her imagination.

She felt torn, having him there in the compound. His very presence disrupted her lifestyle more than she cared to admit. Tension had a way of coiling in her stomach when she was in his presence. The familiar stirrings of anxiety and nervousness trickling into her mannerisms, made her ill at ease.

Having him planted in the middle of her garden every morning certainly wasn't helping any. So far, she'd chosen to let him be. Usually leaving before he took notice of her. On this morning, however, things seemed to take a different turn.

It never ceased to amaze her how the early morning glow made the otherwise unapproachable Uchiha more approachable. Untamable midnight hair, danced with the breeze, feather against his face and in his eyes. Again, the urge to touch him swept over her.

She took a step forward, then another, and another, finding herself only a few paces from where he sat, legs folded beneath him, meditating into the rising sun. She froze when she heard cool stirrings of his voice speaking to her.

"Don't you people have anything better to do than spy on me?"

"G-gomen-nasai!" She squeaked out before turning on her heels and running away.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own Naruto._

**One Time, One Meeting**

_The Possibilities Are Endless_

_Perspective_

_Sakura__-_

The passage of time leaves few things untouched by its callus fingers. For Sakura one of those many things was her long held childhood crush on the one and only Uchiha Sasuke. Truth be told, she was more than a little aggrieved when the realization struck her, but at the time she'd had very little time to react to it. What with Naruto _and_ said Uchiha's continued existence being uncertain.

Now, seeing his solitary form-a silhouette against the light of the setting sun-it felt like a knife to her heart. Alternatively, it might be better to liken it to a long awaited death. You know its coming, but that doesn't stop it from hurting.

The moment in itself was almost nostalgic, and if she just closed her eyes she could almost pretend five years hadn't passed and the Sasuke leaning heavily on the bridge-his head bent, arms crossed lazily over his trunk,-was the same one that put stars in her eyes and made her heart race just from a mere glance.

She mentally shook off the impulse to reminisce. That was then and this was now, and this was her life now. Free of the Uchiha Prodigy's influence. She kept her eyes wide open and watched him with only a passing interest.

He didn't seem keen on moving; only bits of his disheveled hair wafting with the breeze kicking up as the golden dome sank slowly behind the horizon. In a distant part of her mind, she imagined his eyes closed against the light, flutters of stray hair tickling his face.

The soft treading of feet, however, disturbed her musings. Sakura's gaze sought out the source of the disturbance and caught sight of dark lavender locks, tinted with the red light of the setting sun. Hyuuga Hinata walked briskly, wholly unaware of anyone else's presence. Her gaze seemed to stay focused on the ground directly in front of her, her mouth turned down in a slight frown as her hair danced with the wafting breeze.

Sakura's heart clenched, knowing full well what had put the sad frown, however slight it may seem, on her face. Guilt ate away at her insides as she watched the girl approach the bridge with only slight awareness of her surroundings.

She still recalled the conversation she'd stumbled upon earlier in the day. It seemed Hinata had taken to avoiding her crush every since the incident during Pein's invasion. This was entirely to Naruto's benefit considering he hadn't seemed very keen on the pending conversation with the Hyuuga Heiress. Nevertheless, they had been fated to cross paths sometime. It seemed this day was such a day.

Rounding the corner, the first person she saw had been Naruto. She'd called out to him and waved, only to meet the Heiresses pained gaze right after. She didn't need to be a genius to know what had transpired. Hinata had quickly dismissed herself and scampered off.

A certain prodigy seemed to have noticed her presence as well. Dropping his laid back posture, he drew himself to his full height, his head turning slightly to acknowledge her presence as she came upon him.

"Hyuuga." Sakura heard him say in his usual gruff manner. A high pitched squeak emanated from the startled Kunoichi as she stumbled back in shock. It was hard for her to miss the raised eyebrow and amused sparkle gleaming in his dark gaze.

"Sasuke-kun!" Hinata gasped. Her hand clasped loose at her throat, trying-Sakura assumed-to still her beating heart.

"Aren't you out a bit late?" Sasuke asked. His arms, once folded over his chest, now tucked into his pant pockets as he inclined his head to talk to the heiress. Sakura would swear later that Sasuke was smiling. "I thought a Hime like you would have an early curfew."

She saw Hinata duck her head in quick fashion, no doubt to hide a tell-tale blush. She strained to hear Hinata's response, but whatever was said was lost as the wind kicked up. She continued to watch however, fascinated by the exchange between the two of them.

An odd quickening tickled her chest when the quirk in Sasuke's lips turned into a full blown smile. Blown away, Sakura could only blink. Confusion began to burrow in her head. Never had she seen Sasuke show an sort of familiarity to anyone, but there he was talking to Hinata like she was an old friend. Or something more.

Shaking her head, she decided to let it be. It really wasn't her business anymore. Sakura smiled to herself as she strolled off, wondering if there was a way to persuade Naruto to eat something besides ramen tonight.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N:**__ I do not own Naruto_

**Ichi-go, Ichi-e**

**One time, One meeting**

_A Rash Decision_

They were five years of age when they first met. He'd long since forgotten the occasion of the meeting, but he remembered tottering behind his O-kaasan, his little fingers fidgeting with the sleeve of his dark blue and gray striped _yukata_, when he stumbled upon her.

He'd been to busy scratching the inside of his wrist, unused to wearing the traditional garment that was still new. Sad to say, the long sleeves and under used fabric had done a number on his wrist, which were sensitive in their own right. His _Aniki_ had been the first to notice and suggest this, but Sasuke had been adamant in denying any part of his body was 'sensitive' to anything. His cheeks puffed out when he'd so boldly declared that only _girls_ were that delicate.

To prove his point, he'd all but dragged _Kaasan_ out the door when she voiced her concern that Sasuke might be allergic to the fabric of his yukata, his little hand waving off her concern like he'd seen his _O-Tosan do so many times before. He'd almost sputtered in indignation when Kaasan started laughing softly behind the hand pressed against her tightly pursed and upturned mouth. Instead he aimed a deep frown up at her and waited until she recovered and took point in front of him to led the way to the celebration._

_Still, ambling along behind her, a rash had quickly developed on the inside of his wrist. He pushed up the sleeve to his yukata and had a quick glance at the problem, groaned low in his throat when spied the problem. Angry red bumps, blotched his pale skin in raised patches. Itachi had been right. But that wasn't the real problem; the real problem was the rash looked to be spreading._

_So focused was he on the problem he hadn't paid attention to where he was going. A quick glance up told him that not only had he not been paying attention, but he also managed to lose track of his O-kaasan. The itchiness on his wrist was momentarily forgotten in his panic. He glanced about, frantic and terrified, tears already gathering in his eyes. She was no where to be seen. _

_He collapsed to his knees, tears now pouring unrestrained down his face._

"_A-are you alright?" Whispered a voice to his ear. Startled, he jumped to his feet, swiping at his wet face as he turned to face the inquiring voice._

_Big white eyes where the first thing he noticed. Then it was the slight, upturned smile and the bob of her head and the sway of dark violet hair as she considered him for the short moment._

"_Are you alright?" She asked again._

_Dark eyebrows furrowed over equally dark eyes. "I'm an Uchiha!" His chest puffed out to twice its normal size. "Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"_

_Her smile disappeared, replaced with a slight frown and even bigger white eyes. "I-I'm sorry." Her voice barely reached his ears as her eyes cast down at her feet, her fingers twitching together in a nervous gesture. "I just wanted to help."_

_Sasuke never felt so guilty in his life as she turned away and walked quickly away. This was even worser than when Kaasan tricked him into eating that icky green stuff called broccoli. "Aw man," He muttered as stalked after her._


End file.
